Seabirds and chronic oil pollution: Self-cleaning properties of gulls, Laridae, as revealed from colour-ring sightings

► Self-cleaning properties of oiled seabirds were studied. ► Breeding oiled gulls were clean within weeks. ► Breeding continued and offspring fledged. ► Oiled gulls were found to often clean themselves. ► Chronic oiling is most serious in winter as a result of exposure.